ACOSH is driven by strong leadership and all our people share a passion for ending tobacco-related harm in Australia.
Meet the team behind the scenes of Tobacco Control.
ACOSH Leadership
Laura Hunter
Co-Chief Executive
“The fire in my belly about smoking was ignited at the age of 10 when I moved to Australia and felt the full force of the anti smoking education campaigns by my year 5 teacher. I photocopied the posters and sent them back to my Irish aunties who were smokers, who haven’t let me ever forget it! That began my advocacy journey which was bolstered by a science degree, a move into public health and now to ACOSH. This organisation has such an incredible track record and I’m passionate about continuing it and being a voice for change.”
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Laura has a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Nutrition and Human Biology, and previously worked at Cancer Council WA and Healthway, developing and implementing evidence-based approaches in public health and health promotion. This has included coordination of state-wide research programs, strategic alignment of health promotion programs with translational frameworks, and driving specialised strategic initiatives for government agencies.
Geraldine Mellet
Co-Chief Executive
“As a journalist I interviewed many of the original ACOSH leaders as they kept up the good fight against the multinational tobacco industry and successfully advocated for many of the major milestones that the government has since introduced. Now as an advocate decades later, it’s a privilege to be handed the baton, especially as vaping threatens our childrens’ health and needs the same kind of fearless, sustained advocacy to get the attention and cooperation of all levels of government.”
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Geraldine is a former broadcast journalist and writer with over twenty-five years in radio and television current affairs, news, feature programs and children’s tv drama. she subsequently, worked as WA Coordinator of the Every Australian Counts campaign successfully advocating to get the NDIS legislated and funded. She also coordinated and filmed The Lives We Lead social media project featuring the skills, talents and work stories of Australians with disabilities, in their own words. And she has created partnerships to assist marginalised groups, including people seeking asylum and children in out of home care.
Executive Committee
Professor Andre Shultz
President
“As a paediatrician and respiratory physician, I’m confronted by the large number of Australian children who are still exposed to the harmful effects of tobacco, particularly in populations which are disadvantaged. I’m also extremely concerned by the tobacco industry targeting children and young people simply to expand the market for e-cigarettes knowing it causes nicotine addiction and exposes young lungs to a myriad of harmful substances. I know that we cannot drop our guard and I’m proud to be part of ACOSH that has been leading anti-tobacco advocacy in Australia for decades.”
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André is a respiratory physician based at Perth Children’s Hospital and an Honorary Clinical Professor at the Division of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, UWA. He is the Mineral Resources Fellow and the Wal-yan Centre for Respiratory Health Research and and Program Head of Respiratory Health at Telethon Kids Institute.
He is a MRFF Investigator and previous NHMRC TRIP Fellow. He is a Chief Investigator for the Centre for Research Excellence in Respiratory Health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children (AusBREATHE) and Deputy Chair of the Australian Cystic Fibrosis Data Registry Steering Committee. His research focuses on improving lifelong health trajectories from early childhood, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Vic Andrich
Vice President
“I grew up with my Mum smoking, and while I’d never liked it, it wasn’t until I was at Uni doing environmental health that I began to see the big picture – the terrible health effects and financial burden on so many other people, and the fact it’s a voluntary risk that no one needs. As an Environmental Health Officer I’ve spent my life striving to make the system more robust so that we can end smoking no matter which political party is in power. That’s why I’m part of ACOSH which has successfully fought the vested interests of the tobacco industry and been at the forefront of all the important reforms.”
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Vic is employed at the WA Department of Health within the Environmental Health Directorate and is a Team Leader with the System Performance Unit responsible for directorate wide initiatives. He has been an EHO for many years and has worked in a range of local governments (both metropolitan and country, large and small), in Department of Environment (Waste Management) and in the private sector. Vic was previously President of Environmental Health Australia for 11 years.
Trish Fowler
Treasurer
“As a nurse working for close to fifty years, I’ve seen so many patients who wouldn’t be in hospital except for smoking. People who are struggling for their next breath but still go outside for a smoke, babies born too early or too small because of smoking in pregnancy, young children with respiratory issues because of second hand smoke at home. And while we have made so much headway, the tobacco industry is now shamelessly targetting our children and young people with vaping. That’s why I’m still at ACOSH and why their advocacy work exposing the industry and calling for change, remains more important than ever.”
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Trish Fowler is a registered nurse working in paediatric critical care at Perth Childrens Hospital. She is President of the Australian Nursing Federation Industrial Union of Workers Perth (ANFIUWP) and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) WA Branch.
Caitlin Kameron
Executive Member
“I’m part of the lucky generation that has no memory of tobacco advertising and instead grew up seeing anti-smoking campaigns on TV. At school, I loved health studies and distinctly remember activities around smoking prevention. Sadly, it was during these years that my grandmother suffered most from emphysema caused by smoking. At university I studied law and public health. At the time, everyone said this was a bizarre combination but I’ve proven them wrong. I feel very privileged to work at Cancer Council WA and be part of the Executive team at ACOSH, using my skills in legal and policy analysis/research to advocate for change.”
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Caitlin Kameron is a Senior Policy & Research Coordinator in the Make Smoking History team at Cancer Council WA. Her work focuses on policy, research and advocacy in tobacco control and in relation to e-cigarettes. Previous roles have included Legal Policy Advisor, Acting SunSmart Manager, Litigation Lawyer and Research Associate in the Court of Appeal. She has authored and co-authored academic publications on cancer prevention.
Professor Jonine Jancey
Executive Member
“30 years ago I started my public health working life at the Australian Council on Smoking and Health (ACCOSH). I was enamoured by the dedication and enthusiasm of the staff and appalled by the tobacco industry’s techniques to secure new young customers, and their complete disregard for the misery they spread – nothing good comes from any part of the entire tobacco supply chain. I then moved into a university academic role in the School of Population Health at Curtin University where I have focussed on applied research relevant to ‘real world’ health actions and outcomes. I have now returned to tobacco control, and I am keen to bring my skill set and hopefully do my bit to support ACOSH and its aim to positively impact peoples’ lives by reducing and preventing the uptake of tobacco and now e-cigarettes.”
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Jonine Jancey is a Professor of Public Health at Curtin University. She’s an accredited health promotion practitioner and researcher with a commitment to engagement and translational applied research. She works collaboratively with individuals, organisations, and communities, to find solutions to promote health and prevent disease. Jonine has a keen in interest in tobacco control including new nicotine vaping products. All these products cause so much harm.
